The Teton Range is another granitic massif that was formed when a big fault block fell off the east side into Jackson Hole. We camped on the north end of the park at Lizard Creek. We consider this the best campground in the park, although it is a bit isolated from the south end. I read in my Teton Trails book that the hike up to Two Ocean Lake, past the Grand View Point, was a good place to go. We headed there the next morning. The trailhead is at the end of a somewhat obscure 4WD road. We were the only ones there. In fact, we were the only ones on the whole trail all day. A grizzly bear would have been right at home in this remote country and we kept our eyes peeled for one. A mile or two out led to Grand View Point. Appropriately, the view of the Teton crest and Jackson Lake from there was grand.

This is a better view of the Teton Range and Jackson Lake.

When we got down to Two Ocean Lake, we sneaked up on a family of trumpeter swans. The parents had three cygnets that were getting big. They swam out on the lake when they spotted the likes of us. We hiked out the same way we came in.

We hadn't spent much time in the Tetons the last time we were up in this country in 1998. We discovered that the wildlife viewing here was superb. A prime location for viewing was Oxbow Bend at dusk and dawn, where the Snake River makes a big loop in its journey toward the Columbia. We saw numerous moose (meese?). The cow below was browsing in some willows.

We saw a young bull up close and personal, but the photos were blurry as the light was too low for my digital camera. We likewise spotted smaller critters such as beaver, river otter, muskrat and a bald eagle or two.

After a couple days exploring Grand Teton NP, we turned our focus to: